Linear for Startups
Up to 6 months free on Linear Basic or Business plans, partner-gated (VC/accelerator required).
Linear for Startups offers up to Free Business plan (term set by partner) to pre-seed, seed, series a startups with a VC or accelerator referral. Review takes 3–7 business days.
About
Linear for Startups gives qualifying teams free access to the Business plan, which adds SAML SSO, advanced permissions, and unlimited teams over the standard plan.
Linear no longer publishes a duration. Its FAQ refers only to a free period ending, without saying how long that period runs, so the six months this entry previously stated cannot be verified. The term appears to be set by the partner you apply through.
Eligibility is fewer than 50 employees, not currently paying for Linear, and affiliation with an official Linear partner. The partner list is large, running to several hundred VCs and accelerators, so check whether your investor is on it before assuming you do not qualify.
Tiers
- <50 employees
- Non-paying Linear user
- Affiliated with official Linear partner
Eligibility
- Fewer than 50 employees
- Not currently paying for Linear
- Affiliated with an official Linear partner
- Existing paid customer
- No partner affiliation
How to apply
- 1Check partnersVisit linear.app/startups/partners to verify affiliation.
- 2Get referral linkFrom your VC/accelerator.
- 3
What else you get
- Basic or Business plan features
- Linear Insights
- Roadmaps + cycles
What credits cover (and don't)
- Linear Basic
- Linear Business
- Enterprise plan
Tactical tips
- Tip 1.Partner-gated, check the partner list before applying to avoid rejection.
- Tip 2.Bootstrapped founders may need to go through FounderPass or similar aggregator.
- Tip 3.Keep workspace under 50 members during the free period.
Common rejection reasons
- No partner affiliation
- Existing paying customer
Frequently asked about Linear for Startups
Is Linear for Startups free to apply?
Yes. Applying to Linear for Startups does not cost anything and does not require giving up equity. Some programs require a payment method on file that activates only after credits are consumed or expire, check the program detail page for specifics.
How long does Linear for Startups take to review applications?
Processing times are shown on the program detail page. Most programs reply within 1–3 weeks. Self-serve tiers (like AWS Activate Founders) can approve in 2–7 days; partner-referred tiers (like AWS Activate Portfolio) usually take 5–10 days.
Can I combine Linear for Startups with other startup programs?
Most programs stack. The "Stacks well with" section on each detail page lists commonly combined programs. A few important exceptions: if you already claimed AWS credits via Brex or Mercury, your direct AWS Activate amount may be reduced.
What is the most common reason applications to Linear get rejected?
The top rejection reasons are (1) using a personal Gmail/Outlook address instead of a company domain, (2) having a thin or placeholder website, and (3) mismatched information between the application and Crunchbase/Pitchbook. The tips section on the program page details program-specific factors.
Related programs
Notion for Startups
Up to 6 months of Business Plan + Notion AI free for up to 100 employees, $12K value via partner referral.
Atlassian for Startups
50 seats free for 12 months across Jira, Confluence, Loom, Bitbucket, Jira Product Discovery, and Compass.
Zoom for Startups
One year free of Zoom Workplace Business Plus for up to 25 seats, Meetings, Phone, Chat, AI Companion, Whiteboard, Clips.